LF: RE: RE: litz wire

["john sexton" <computernetworks@excite.com>]

 Presumably Aluminium foil would work just as well, provided you don't get it so hot it catches fire?
John, G4CNN

--- On Wed 05/15, Ashlock,William

wrote:
> Jim,
>
> Your posting is like a breath of fresh air! (literally - after trying to
> use
> aspirin on the wire and becoming all but overcome with the fumes!). What
> you
> describe below, particularly the "impervious
> to any chemicals", matches my experiences to a 'T'. I'm sure we have
> the
> same Decca Litz wire.
>
> I'll check out your method tonight and report back tomorrow.
>
> Many thanks!
>
> Bill A
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: James Moritz [mailto:j.r.moritz@herts.ac.uk]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2002 9:54 AM
> To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
> Subject: LF: RE: litz wire
>
>
> Dear Bill, LF Group,
>
> I have a considerable amount of Litz wire recovered from a scrap Decca
> loading coil - as has been said, there is more than one type of enamel
> used. The newer type (usually orange, red or pink) is self-fluxing, which
>
> is easy, but the type I have is a dark brown enamel that seems impervious
>
> to any chemicals I have tried, including Nitromors and other types of
> paint
> stripper. The alcohol burner method removes it well, but with 729 strands
>
> it is not really practical to burn the insulation off all the strands
> without causing a raging inferno! Similarly, the asprin method works to a
>
> degree, but it only cleans some of the strands with thick litz wire, the
> residue makes it difficult to repeat the process to clean the remaining
> strands, and the smoke generated is horrendous!
>
> The method I have used is to burn the insulation off with a blowtorch -
> but
> to do this without burning away a lot of the strands some care is needed.
>
> First, strip about 70 - 100mm of the plastic sheathing, and un-twist the
> end 25mm so that the strands are like a small paint brush. Then, tightly
> wrap this end in a strip of copper foil, such as might be peeled off a
> PCB.
> Wrap the strands next to the plastic sheathing in another piece of foil,
> and clamp in a metal clamp or vice - this acts as a heatsink to stop the
> sheathing melting. Then heat the foil-wrapped end with a blowtorch, taking
>
> care to apply the flame only to the foil, not the strands. The foil gets
> red hot, and the enamel burns off with an oily flame. After it has cooled,
>
> unwrap the foil - it looks like the enamel has just turned black, but the
>
> residue can be removed fairly easily by dipping it in water and brushing
> gently with a toothbrush, or rubbing the strands together like cleaning a
>
> paintbrush, to leave clean copper. Then it can be tinned in the normal
> way.
>
> I can't say it is an easy method, but it does work with otherwise
> indestructible enamel, and after a few practice runs it gave me
> satisfactory results for my loading coil.
>
> Cheers, Jim Moritz
> 73 de M0BMU
>
>
>
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